With technology changing at a very fast pace, daily new methods of doing a particular task arises. Earlier compiling and segmentation of data into groups used to be a very lengthy and tiring task. But now it can be done at a single click of a button.
Similarly, a variety of tasks which used to take long to complete can now be automated.
Even though with the continuous increase in the applications on RPA, it still remains relatively new and hard to understand.
So, in this blog I will discuss what is RPA? its various applications and use cases, and what tools can be used to implement it.
So, let us first find out what is RPA & why it exists.
Why RPA (Robotics Process Automation)?
One might think that what is the need of RPA. You can easily deploy men to carry out the tasks. But the problem with the manual workforce is that humans will take a lot of time to carry out certain tasks which can be done by machine in just a few seconds or minutes.
Let us consider the following example:
- You all might have ordered something or the other from e-commerce platforms such as Amazon or Flipkart. After you have ordered you continuously receive updates about your order details.
- So, here is where RPA comes in.
- RPA automatically sends the customers updates and tracking details of the shipment. Now, consider if this was to be done manually. Just imagine the amount of workforce required and how much time consuming it would be.
- Similarly, there are a lot of other applications of RPA, which makes RPA a technology to watch out for.
- After you have understood the need for RPA, I think now I should answer the question that what is RPA?
What is RPA (Robotics Process Automation)?
Let us break down RPA to understand what RPA is.
- R: ROBOTICS as in simple bots designed specifically to carry out tasks.
- P: PROCESS, this the problem statement or the task which need to be automated.
- A: AUTOMATION, it refers to carrying out tasks automatically without manual help.
RPA uses computer software robots to carry out repetitive and predefined rule-based digital tasks. RPA is mostly dependent on workflow automation and requires the use of Artificial Intelligence for its incorporation. RPA technology is governed by business logic and structured input data which is aimed at automating various business processes, to ease out tasks.After we have learned what Robotics process automation is, let us dive a bit deeper into this topic and look at its working.
How does RPA work?
This is one of the most essential questions which needs to be answered before getting started with RPA. There is a lot of confusion when it comes to understanding how RPA works. Do not worry all your doubts will be cleared just continue reading.
- RPA uses robots to automate processes.
- RPA bots are nothing but bots who replicate employee actions such as opening files, giving input data, copying and pasting fields in an automated way.
- These bots interact with different systems via integration and screen scraping, allowing RPA tools to perform actions just like a white-collar employee.
To understand more in-depth about how RPA works, let me show you a simple block diagram, which explains the workflow of RPA if we use UiPath software.
- Step 1: Plan — First plan your task which you want to automate. List down all the steps in chronological order.
- Step 2: Build — Next, design the workflow and arrange them in increasing order of complexity
- Step 3: Manage — Upload your list of tasks and manage them accordingly
- Step 4: RUN — Finally run the program. The robots will work according to the workflow mentioned by you and carry out the tasks.
The most important point to note here is that RPA does not replace humans with actual robots. These are just pieces of software which let you configure automation workflows to automate business operations.
Robotic Process Automation is suited for processes that are clearly defined, and repeatable without any changes. It helps industries automate the completion of a wide variety of tasks.
Now let’s move forward to what are the various RPA tools which can be used to automate tasks.
Best RPA (Robotics Process Automation) tools list
RPA tools are software which can be used to automate tasks, especially desk jobs, to decrease dependence on manual work.
There are various tools for RPA automation such as Blue Prism, Automation Anywhere, UiPath, Workfusion, Pega systems and many more, with UiPath being the market leader.
All the tools are somewhat similar in their functioning and structure. It is not necessary to learn each and every tool. You can learn one tool thoroughly and can have a basic knowledge of other tools.
This will give you a good head start in your career as a Robotics process automation professional. After understanding, what is RPA, how does it work and what tools can be used for its implementation you might be wondering, are there any real-life applications of this?
Well, you need not worry. Check the various applications of RPA below. It will clear all of your remaining doubts.
What are the Use cases/Applications of RPA?
Below is the list of various applications of RPA in automating various business operations: The various applications are listed industry-wise:
1. In commercial functions
- Sales
- Customer Relationship Management
2. In support functions
- Tech Support
- Technology
- Finance
- HR
- Operations
- Procurement
3. Industry-specific activities
- Banking
- Insurance
- Telecom
- Retail
4. Robotic Process applications for personal use such as digital assistants. Now, I will list certain examples of Robotics process automation which can ease our ask and give faster results.
Robotics Process Automation (RPA) Examples
There are a wide variety of examples of Robotics Process Automation. Here are some examples of how all the processes can be automated.
- EXAMPLE 1: Website Scraping RPA can be used to automate the process of website scraping to extract data from various websites. This data then can be used for various purposes.
- EXAMPLE 2: Customer Order Processing Many E-commerce websites use RPA to automate the process of data entry and placing the order to the merchants after the user has actually placed the order. Using RPA here is actually much more efficient than doing it manually.
- EXAMPLE 3: Call Centre operations The people at the call centre need to have all the information about the person on a single screen instead of opening multiple applications and searching for the required data. RPA comes into use in this case which can use web scraping to display all the required information about the person in front of the caller.
Conclusion
So, after reading this blog I am sure that all your doubts regarding RPA are cleared now. You can easily answer if someone asks you what is RPA? right.
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I’ll be coming up with a new blog on RPA very soon. Stay updated to know more about RPA, its applications and tools and new trends. If you have any doubts you can comment them in the comments section down below!!
